Sydney summer ready for Kiwis

Sydney is ready to welcome more Kiwi visitors this Summer with a packed calendar of events, activities and experiences. Over 425,000 Kiwi’s visited Sydney and New South Wales in 2016, a six percent increase on the previous year. Kiwi visitors are worth over $496 million dollars each year, with travellers staying an average of 10 nights.

Due to the large number of NZ expats living in NSW, a majority of visitors headed there to visit friends and relatives (41%), followed by holiday makers (34%) and business travellers (22%). Of the overnight visitors from NZ to NSW over the past year, the majority of travellers spent time in Sydney (86%), followed by the North Coast (eight percent) and the Hunter (four percent). Whilst in New South Wales, around 90% of Kiwi visitors eat out at restaurants and cafes, almost two-thirds go shopping for pleasure, and half of all Kiwi visitors spend time sightseeing. Where to dine: Clients can explore one of Sydney’s newest waterfront dining precincts, Streets of Barangaroo, for a fried chicken x at Belles Hot Chicken, modern Turkish meal at Anason, European food hall experience at Bel & Brio, or dumpling hit at Lotus. For an iconic experience, have a drink at Opera Bar and take-in the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Where to shop: Sydney’s shopping scene caters for lovers of high-end fashion, international labels, local designers and bargain factory outlets. Visit hundreds of stores in Sydney’s iconic Queen Victoria Building, The Strand Arcade, bustling Pitt Street Mall and Westeld Sydney, which is full of luxury designer brands. For a boutique outdoor shopping experience, spend some time in Paddington exploring Oxford St, William St and the popular Intersection. For a bargain, visit Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre with Shopper Hopper as a water taxi option to get to the outlet. Events to plan around: Sport fans, culture lovers, and history buffs are taken care of in Sydney’s Summer calendar. Destination NSW will be keeping the Kiwi travel industry up to date with an exciting range of Sydney and NSW events with their monthly It’s ON! In Sydney and NSW trade features. See this issue for upcoming key events.